Chapter Text
【Make You Mine — Madison Beer】
⇆ « ❚❚ » ↻ 2:49 ━━━━━━●━ 3:42
June | Sasuke’s POV | Monday
“There’s no signal in the mountains,” Kakashi said.
He tapped the chalkboard. The chalk snapped.
The class groaned.
Sasuke didn’t.
He sat by the window. The heat outside was thick enough to choke on. Cicadas screamed from the tree line—a frantic, wet sound, rising and falling like a fever. The trees beyond the school gates were too green. Too dense. Packed close together, as if the woods had thickened while no one was looking.
“Three days, two nights,” Kakashi continued, dropping the broken chalk. “The primary objective is orienteering. You’ll be navigating the forest trails using physical maps and compasses. Hence, the small groups. No wandering off the marked paths. No relying on your phones. No trying to prove you have survival instincts.”
Kiba lifted a hand. “Sensei, what if we actually have survival instincts?”
“You don’t.”
The class laughed.
Sasuke watched the trees.
“The lodge has a landline for emergencies,” Kakashi said, turning a page in his folder. “As a reminder, the orienteering exercise spans the first two days. You’ll be dropped at a trail marker with coordinates. Your goal is to find the checkpoints, stamp your cards, and make it back to the lodge before the sun sets. Since we have twenty-nine students, that means five groups of four, and three groups of three.”
Sasuke rested his chin against his palm, only half-listening.
The classroom was suffocating. He watched a fly throw its body repeatedly against the window glass, too stupid to realize it was trapped. He didn’t care about compasses or dirt paths. He just wanted the bell to ring so he could be left alone.
Left alone by everyone. Except one.
Naruto.
Anything else was worthless.
Kakashi began reading from his list.
Names drifted past. Friendships were secured. Groans of disappointment rippled through the rows.
“Group seven,” Kakashi read, his voice cutting through the rising chatter. “Uzumaki Naruto, Kise Ryouta, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke.”
Sasuke’s breathing stopped.
His fingers went rigid against the wood of his desk. A sharp, violent thrill kicked in his chest, instantly followed by a sickening wave of dread. His stomach pulled tight.
Naruto.
They were in the same group.
Sasuke stared hard at the grain of his desk, swallowing the sudden dryness in his throat. He forced his face to stay dead. He didn’t look ahead to see Naruto’s reaction. He didn’t have to.
“Yes, we’re together!” Naruto cheered from the middle row.
Sasuke’s teeth ground together.
Why is he so happy? Does he like Haruno? Kise?
If the cheer wasn’t for him, Sasuke wanted Naruto to choke on his words. He hated how easily Naruto smiled at the rest of the room.
Sakura gasped. She pressed both hands to her cheeks, turning to look from Sasuke’s desk to the window where Kise sat. “Sasuke-kun and Kise-kun? In the same group? That’s—”
She stopped. Her hands dropped.
She glared at the front of the room. “Wait. Kakashi-sensei, I’m the only girl?!”
“Exactly!” Ino slammed her hands onto her desk from a few rows back. “Why does Billboard Brow get the two best-looking guys in the class? It’s wasted on her. Switch her out!”
Sakura whipped around. “Shut up, Ino-pig! I didn’t ask for this!”
“You were just drooling over them!”
“I was appreciating the aesthetics! Now I’m going to be stuck in the woods doing all the actual work!”
Naruto leaned across his desk, waving his hands to settle the noise. “Hey, come on. It’s not that bad, Sakura-chan. You’ve got three handsome guys protecting you, right?” He grinned, pointing a thumb proudly at his own chest.
Sakura and Ino snapped their heads toward him.
“HUUUUUUH?” they demanded in unison, fire in their eyes.
Naruto flinched, sinking slightly into his chair.
Kise rested his chin in his hand, flashing a bright smile across the room. “Don’t worry, Narutocchi. I think you’re charming.”
Naruto scowled.
Sasuke noticed too quickly.
Kise had barely spoken, and Naruto already looked irritated. It was small. Stupid. Probably nothing.
Sasuke wanted it anyway.
Kakashi ignored them and returned to his list.
He continued reading the remaining names, pausing whenever someone groaned or tried to bargain their way into another group. Sasuke heard none of it. Naruto’s cheer still rang in his head.
By the time Kakashi finished, the classroom had dissolved into excited whispers and arguments.
Kakashi clapped his hands once. It sounded like a gunshot.
“Move your desks,” he ordered over the remaining noise. “Group up and form a circle. I want you discussing your roles for the trail. Decide who holds the map, who tracks the compass, and who counts the paces. Write your final conclusions down. I expect them on my desk before the lunch bell.”
The classroom filled with the ugly, hollow sound of metal dragging across wood.
Sasuke didn’t move. He let the others come to him.
Naruto was there first. He dragged his desk over too fast, the metal legs shrieking against the floor until he slammed it flush against Sasuke’s. Sakura arrived a second later, slapping the required worksheet down.
Kise strolled over last. He didn’t bother pulling his desk into a proper circle. He just leaned over the back of his chair, flashing a lazy, practiced smile. The air in their corner of the room immediately felt too crowded.
“So,” Sakura said, uncapping her pen. “I’m taking the compass. I don’t trust any of you with directions.”
“I can use a compass,” Naruto protested.
“You get lost walking to the gym,” Sakura said without looking up.
Kise rested his chin on his arms, his golden eyes fixing directly on Sasuke. “I’ll count the paces. It sounds easy. Plus, I can just follow Uchiha-kun.” He tilted his head, his smile turning playful. “I always see you walk fast—hey! Are you ignoring me?”
Sasuke stared at the edge of his worksheet. “Yes.”
“So cold,” Kise sighed.
Naruto frowned. His leg started bouncing under the desk, bumping against the metal frame. “Leave him alone, Kise. He doesn’t want to talk to you, ya know.”
Kise blinked. His smile shifted, losing a fraction of its brightness and turning slow, observant. He looked at Naruto, taking in the defensive slouch of his shoulders, then looked back at Sasuke.
“Is that right?” Kise asked softly. “Are you his manager, Narutocchi?”
Naruto’s jaw tightened. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
Kise noticed. Sasuke did too. Naruto was bothered. Not by the trail. Not by the worksheet. By Kise looking at him.
Something hot and wrong opened in Sasuke’s chest.
Good.
Sasuke thought.
Sakura cleared her throat loudly, breaking the tension. She pushed a folded map into the center of the desks. “Focus.”
It was a cheap, glossy printout of the mountain trails. Bright red lines marked the designated zones.
“Kakashi-sensei said we strictly follow the red lines,” Sakura instructed. She tapped her pen against a faded, dotted mark snaking off the edge of the grid, right next to the icon for the north road restaurant. “He specifically said to ignore this one. It’s an old logging trail. Unmaintained. It goes straight into the deep woods.”
Sasuke looked down.
The dotted line was faint. Almost erased.
It cut away from the red trail and disappeared into the dark green ink of the forest grid, right behind the restaurant icon. A place where the signal would die. A place where no one else would be.
Sasuke’s thumb hovered near it.
He didn’t touch it.
Naruto traced the safe red path with his thumb, leaning closer to the map. “Boooring. But fine.”
Sasuke didn’t agree. He didn’t say anything at all. He just kept his eyes on the dotted line.
A shadow fell over the map.
Kakashi stood at the edge of their makeshift circle, his hands buried deep in his pockets. “How’s this group going?” he asked. “Anyone planning a mutiny yet?”
“I’m running the compass,” Sakura said immediately. She tapped her pen against the paper. “Naruto has the map. Kise-kun is counting the paces.”
Kakashi hummed. His visible eye curved into a lazy crescent. “And Sasuke?”
“He’s taking point,” Sakura said, waving a hand in his general direction. “He walks the fastest. We’ll just follow him.”
“A solid division of labor,” Kakashi said. He reached out and tapped a single finger against the center of the map. Right where the green ink was the darkest. “Make sure you stick to it. The woods are older than they look. The trails blend together after the first hour. The canopy gets thick, and the light tricks you. If you stop paying attention, you won’t realize you’re lost until it’s too late.”
A quiet, heavy stillness settled over the grouped desks.
Naruto broke it. He leaned forward, his leg bouncing against the metal frame again. “But the lodge is at the end of the red line, right? What’s it like? Is there a hot spring? Do they have ramen? What about the Wi-Fi? Does the lodge have it?”
“Naruto,” Sakura sighed, pressing two fingers to her temples. “It’s the middle of summer and thirty-four degrees Celsius outside. Why would you want to sit in a boiling hot spring?”
Kise laughed brightly.
“Well—” Naruto flushed, his hands coming up to wave defensively. “It’s about the atmosphere! You know, relaxing in nature after a long walk! And sweating is good for you—”
“No hot springs,” Kakashi interrupted, cutting off Naruto’s rambling. “The food is standard. And the Wi-Fi at the lodge has been broken since last summer. There’s a roadside restaurant near the north road. It has free Wi-Fi, and they might have ramen.”
Naruto’s eyes lit up. “Heck yeah.”
Sasuke observed. The corner of Naruto’s mouth lifted, his posture relaxing into something easy and bright. A sharp, greedy tug pulled at Sasuke’s chest.
Cute.
Sasuke wanted to touch the back of his neck just to feel if he was as warm as he looked.
Kise raised his hand. “Sensei? Can I bring my digital camera? I want to vlog the trip for my fans.”
Kakashi shrugged. “As long as you carry it yourself.”
“Perfect!” Kise turned to their circle, leaning over his desk with a glowing smile. His golden eyes landed on Sasuke. “You’ll let me film you, won’t you, Uchiha-kun? You have the perfect brooding lone-wolf aesthetic. You know, like the tragically handsome rival in a shounen manga. The camera will love you~”
Sasuke didn’t blink. “Point the camera at me, and I’ll break it.”
Sakura cupped her cheeks, a soft, dreamy sigh escaping her. “Seeing handsome boys talk to each other is such a blessing.” Little imaginary hearts practically floated around her head.
Naruto scoffed loudly. He crossed his arms, glaring at Kise. “You heard him. Leave Sasuke alone. He doesn’t want to be in your videos.”
Kise dramatically wiped a fake tear from his eye. “So cruel. Both of you are breaking my heart. I might just have to film in secret.”
“No videos of Sasuke!” Naruto snapped. He leaned closer to Sasuke, effectively boxing Kise out. “You’re kinda annoying, ya know!”
Kise pouted, his lower lip jutting out. “You’re so mean to me. Kurokocchi!” He spun around in his chair, waving at the front of the room. “My group is bullying me!”
Sakura slammed her hand onto her desk, glaring across the group circle. “Naruto! Don’t be mean to Kise-kun. He’s just trying to be friendly.”
Naruto crossed his arms and sank back into his chair, sulking.
Sasuke stopped listening to Sakura.
His attention caught on Naruto’s mouth. He stared at the unhappy, wet curve of it. The soft, pink shape of it. It looked warm. Pliable. An urge crawled up his throat, making his fingers twitch against his desk.
He wanted to touch it.
Not gently enough.
Just enough to make Naruto stop talking and look at him.
Only me.
Kuroko sat three desks away, paired with a very tall, very bored-looking Aomine. Kuroko didn’t even look up from his notebook. “Good luck with your group, Kise-kun.”
Aomine barked out a laugh, leaning back in his chair. “Serves you right, idiot.”
Kakashi clapped his hands once, bringing the noise to a dead halt.
“Let’s confirm,” Kakashi said. His voice dropped its lazy drawl, shifting into something flat and official. “Sakura. Compass.”
“Yes,” she said firmly.
“Naruto. Map.”
“Yeah, yeah. I won’t get us lost.”
“Kise. Pacing.”
Kise offered a relaxed, two-finger salute. “Leave it to me.”
Kakashi shifted his gaze. His dark eye locked onto Sasuke.
“Sasuke. Point.”
Sasuke didn’t look at Kakashi. Even slumped back in his chair, Naruto was too close. He was right there. Defending him. Claiming him without realizing it. Soon, they would be walking into the deep woods where no one else could reach them.
No signal. No distractions. No one else.
He felt that sick little pull, tight in his chest again.
“I won’t let anyone wander off,” Sasuke said quietly.
He meant it as a threat.
The remaining minutes of the period bled into the stifling heat.
Kakashi wandered the classroom, checking worksheets. Sakura filled theirs out with sharp, neat strokes. Every few seconds, she stopped to sigh at the side of Sasuke’s face.
Sasuke didn’t look at her. He kept his eyes locked on the window, staring at the dense, green tree line.
“Na, Sasuke,” Naruto whispered.
He leaned close enough that Sasuke could feel the heat radiating off his shoulder. “Are you bringing any snacks for the bus tomorrow? We can trade.”
Sasuke’s fingers tightened.
He hadn’t planned to bring anything.
“I haven’t decided.” Sasuke lied.
“Oh.” Naruto hummed, thinking too hard for a question that didn’t matter. “I’m bringing chips. Maybe gummies. Maybe chocolate if Kakashi-sensei doesn’t yell at me about it melting.”
Sasuke kept his eyes on the trees.
“What’s your favorite?”
Naruto stopped.
“What?”
Sasuke’s face warmed. “Snack.”
Naruto stared at him.
Sasuke’s jaw tightened. “Forget it.”
“No, no.” Naruto’s grin came back slowly. “You’re asking my favorite snack?”
“I said forget it.”
“You’re gonna bring my favorite?”
“No.”
“You totally are.”
“I’m not.”
Naruto leaned into his space, delighted. “Sasuke.”
Sasuke finally looked at him.
Mistake.
Naruto was smiling at him like the whole room had gone quiet.
Sasuke felt heat crawl up his neck.
“What?” he snapped.
Naruto’s smile softened.
“Spicy chips,” he said. “And cola gummies.”
Sasuke looked away again.
“Terrible taste.”
“Then don’t bring them.”
“I won’t.”
I will.
Kise took advantage of the silence. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his crossed arms. “Uchiha-kun, do you like sweet or salty things? I want to make sure I pack the right bribes for our point leader.”
Naruto bristled instantly. He shifted his weight, sliding his chair just enough to block Kise’s line of sight. “He’s ignoring you. Take the hint.”
Kise tilted his head, his golden eyes curving with quiet amusement. “I’m just asking a question, Narutocchi. You’re acting like a guard dog.”
“Guard dog? I feel like that’s more your aesthetic.”
Sasuke listened to them bicker. Naruto’s voice was loud, territorial, and focused on keeping Kise away. It was intoxicating. Satisfaction curled in Sasuke’s gut.
Let Kise try to talk to him.
It only made Naruto pull him closer.
The shrill, mechanical scream of the lunch bell finally shattered the heavy air in the room.
“All stand,” Shikamaru, today’s nichoku, called from the front row.
The classroom filled with the loud scrape of metal chairs pushing back at once. Sasuke stood up, keeping his gaze strictly focused on the front chalkboard.
“Bow.”
They bowed.
“Arigatou gozaimashita,” everyone said.
As Kakashi packed his folder into his bag, Sakura snatched their completed worksheet from the desk. She marched to the front of the room, tossing it onto Kakashi’s growing pile of papers.
Group seven was locked in. There was no backing out now.
The second Kakashi left, Naruto was swallowed alive.
A crowd converged on his desk instantly. Kiba slammed into his side, slinging a heavy arm around Naruto’s neck. “Cafeteria, now!” Kiba demanded, grinning wildly. “I heard today’s menu is spicy curry rice. We gotta move before the third-years buy it all.”
Chōji cheered, slapping his hands together, while Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck. “What a drag,” Shikamaru muttered, though he followed anyway.
Shino adjusted his glasses, opening his mouth to speak. He didn’t get a single syllable out before Ino shoved her way past him, aggressively pushing a trembling Hinata directly into Naruto’s line of sight.
Sakura covered her mouth, hiding a knowing smirk.
Sasuke didn’t hear whatever stuttered, pathetic greeting Hinata managed to force out.
He didn’t care.
He just stared at her.
He recognized the bright, ugly flush spreading across her cheeks. He recognized the quiet, desperate way she looked at Naruto, like she was starving and he was the only thing keeping her alive.
She was infected with the exact same sickness Sasuke had.
Sasuke hated her for it.
He’s mine.
The thought came so clearly that Sasuke almost stopped breathing.
He’s mine. He’s mine. He’s mine.
A cold, sharp spike of malice wedged itself under his ribs. Hinata had no right. Only he had the right to look at Naruto like that. Only he had the right to rot from the inside out for him.
“Naruto-kun!” a loud voice boomed from the hallway.
Rock Lee stood in the open sliding door, striking a dramatic pose. Neji and Tenten flanked him, both sighing in unison as if thoroughly exhausted by his mere existence.
Naruto’s face lit up. He easily leaned into Kiba’s grip, waving toward the door. “Lee-senpai!”
“The line for the spicy curry awaits!” Lee declared, pointing a single, determined finger toward the ceiling. “I challenge you to see who can finish a double portion the fastest!”
Neji frowned, smacking the back of Lee’s head. “Stop shouting in the hallway.” He smoothed his posture, offering a polite, shallow bow toward the center of the room. “Hinata-sama.”
Hinata squeaked, turning completely red.
Sasuke tuned them out. It was too loud. There were too many people. Too many hands on Naruto. Too many eyes finding him. Kiba’s arm stayed hooked around Naruto’s neck like it belonged there.
It didn’t.
Sasuke turned away, unzipping his bag. He reached inside, his fingers wrapping around the smooth plastic of his packed bento. He needed to leave the room. He needed to get away before the violent urge to break Kiba’s arm became uncontrollable.
“Hey, Sasuke.”
Sasuke froze.
He looked forward. Naruto had pushed his way out of the crowd. He’d walked past Kiba, Lee, and a blushing Hinata just to stand directly in front of Sasuke’s desk.
“Do you wanna come with us?” Naruto asked.
From the back of the group, Kiba’s jaw dropped. “Are you kidding? You’re asking him?”
Sasuke ignored him.
He kept his eyes locked on Naruto. The invitation was right there. A chance to walk beside him. But it meant sitting in a crowded cafeteria. It meant sharing Naruto’s attention with a dozen other people. It meant watching them touch him.
I would rather starve.
Sasuke pulled his bento from his bag, holding it up just enough for Naruto to see. Not uttering a word.
Naruto’s shoulders dropped. The bright, eager light in his blue eyes dimmed. His lower lip pushed out into a disappointed pout. “Oh. Okay. Well, I’ll just—”
“Come on, Naruto!” Kiba yelled, grabbing him by the back of his collar and yanking him toward the hallway. “The curry is calling!”
Naruto stumbled back, waving a hand at Sasuke before he was dragged out the door, swallowed by the loud, chaotic mass of his friends.
The classroom emptied.
Sasuke sat alone in the stifling heat.
He stared at the open doorway where Naruto had just been. His mind replayed the image of Kiba’s arm wrapped around Naruto’s neck. The casual, easy ownership of it.
Sasuke set his bento on his desk and snapped the lid off.
He lost his appetite. The food looked like plastic. The rice tasted like ash. But he ate it anyway, chewing mechanically, swallowing the dry, tasteless lump in his throat.
I just need to wait.
Tomorrow, they were leaving for the mountains. Tomorrow, they would walk into the deep woods where the signal died.
Kiba wouldn’t be there.
Lee wouldn’t be there.
Hinata wouldn’t be there.
Tomorrow, he wouldn’t have to share.
Beyond the window, the cicadas screamed louder, like they agreed.
꧁‿̩͙⊱༒︎ཐི🌕🌗🌑ཋྀ༒︎⊰‿̩͙꧂
Sasuke finished everything peacefully. He pulled a manga from his bag and opened it across his desk. He didn’t care about the story. He only needed something to look at that wasn’t Naruto’s empty seat.
By the time the bell rang again, he had read the same page four times.
The rest of the day dragged.
Math. History. Science. The teachers spoke. Chalk tapped against boards. Fans turned uselessly overhead.
Sasuke understood all of it.
He cared about none of it.
Naruto sat two rows ahead.
Too far.
Sasuke kept catching himself looking at the back of his head. Blond hair. Loose collar. Shoulders shifting whenever he got bored. Every small movement irritated him.
We should’ve been seated closer.
The thought came once.
Then again.
By the last period, it had settled in his head like a fact.
They should’ve been closer.
The school day finally ended. The suffocating heat followed Sasuke down to the entrance lockers.
He pulled off his uwabaki, sliding his feet into his dark loafers. The metal door of his locker clattered shut.
Heavy footsteps echoed against the tile.
Sasuke turned just as Naruto skidded to a halt in front of him. He was out of breath. A thin sheen of sweat gathered at his collarbone. He hadn’t left with Kiba or any of his friends. He had run straight here.
“Sasuke,” Naruto panted, holding his phone out. “Give me your Raine.”
Sasuke froze.
His fingers went numb against the metal grate of his locker. A violent, triumphant thrill spiked through his chest. He forced his expression to stay entirely dead, burying the sudden rush of adrenaline. He looked at the phone, then slowly met Naruto’s eyes.
“What for?” Sasuke asked. His voice was perfectly nonchalant.
“So we can talk tonight,” Naruto said. He leaned closer, invading Sasuke’s space without a second thought. “About the trip tomorrow. Just in case I forget what to pack.”
Naruto was too close. Sasuke could feel the raw body heat rolling off his skin. He could smell the faint, sharp scent of citrus and summer sweat. A hot, creeping flush crawled up the back of Sasuke’s neck, blooming across his ears. His pulse hammered.
He looked away and pulled out his phone.
“Don’t spam me.”
Naruto grinned. “I won’t.”
“You will.”
“Okay, maybe a little.”
Sasuke brought up his QR code.
Naruto leaned over him, their shoulders brushing. He scanned it. A soft chime echoed between them. The connection was made.
Naruto looked down at the screen, then back at Sasuke.
“There,” he said, smiling. “Now you can’t ignore me.”
Sasuke’s throat tightened.
“I can.”
“Yeah, but you won’t.”
He said it so easily.
Like he knew.
Like he was allowed to know.
Sasuke locked his phone before Naruto could see his face.
Naruto quickly kicked off his own uwabaki. He jammed his feet into his loafers, crushing the heels flat. He was hurrying. For him.
“Let’s go,” Naruto said.
His hand shot out. His hand wrapped tight around Sasuke’s wrist.
Sasuke’s breath caught. The contact burned clean through him. Naruto pulled him forward, and the entire world outside of Naruto’s grip simply ceased to exist—it all blurred into a useless, gray smear.
There was only the feeling of Naruto’s hand dragging him toward the exit. Naruto had chosen him. Naruto wanted him.
A short, sharp buzz vibrated in his bag.
A notification on his phone. He ignored it. He didn’t want to stop walking. He wanted Naruto to drag him all the way home. He wanted Naruto to keep holding on until the shape of his fingers stayed behind.
But as they burst through the front doors and reached the iron gates, the illusion broke.
A black Toyota Century sat idling by the curb. Itachi stood leaning against the rear door, his dark eyes instantly locking onto them. “Sasuke…?”
Naruto stopped.
His grip loosened, his fingers slowly sliding off Sasuke’s wrist.
No.
Sasuke mourned the sudden loss of heat. The cold air rushed in to replace it, leaving a phantom ache on his skin. He wanted to grab Naruto’s hand and put it back.
Naruto looked at the black car, then looked back at Sasuke. His face fell. He’d wanted to walk together. The realization made the thrill in Sasuke’s chest flare up all over again.
“I guess this is you,” Naruto said softly.
He took a step back. His bright, easy smile returned, meant entirely for Sasuke. He raised a hand, giving a small wave.
“See you tomorrow, Sasuke.”
Sasuke clutched the strap of his bag. The blush hadn’t completely faded from his neck. He felt exposed, entirely raw, and sick with how badly he wanted tomorrow to arrive.
“Yeah,” Sasuke muttered. He offered a small, stiff wave back. “See you.”
He opened the front passenger door and slid into the car.
The inside was cold. Too cold after Naruto’s hand.
Sasuke clicked his tongue as he pulled the seat belt across his chest. Itachi looked at him from the driver’s seat. “Did I interrupt something?”
“No.”
The answer came too fast.
Itachi’s eyes stayed on him for one second longer than necessary. Then he turned the key. The engine started with a quiet hum. “Who was that?”
Sasuke looked out the window. “No one.”
“He called you by name.”
“A classmate.”
“He was holding your wrist.”
Sasuke’s jaw tightened. “That doesn’t mean anything.”
Itachi pulled away from the curb.
The school gates slid past the window. Sasuke kept his face turned away, but he could still feel Naruto’s fingers around his wrist. He pressed his own thumb against his pulse point. He pressed hard, trapping the phantom heat beneath his skin before the sterile air conditioning could freeze it away. It felt like a brand. It felt exactly right.
Itachi merged into traffic.
“So,” he said. “You finally made a friend.”
Sasuke’s head snapped toward him. “No.”
Itachi didn’t smile. That was worse.
“No?”
“He’s in my group for the field trip.”
“Ah.”
“That’s all.”
“Of course.”
Sasuke looked back out the window. He hated when Itachi used that tone. The observant voice that stripped Sasuke down. Itachi always looked at him like he was something fragile that needed to be monitored. He wasn’t fragile. He wasn’t lonely. He didn’t want friends. Friends are a hassle.
The car stopped at a red light. The rhythmic tick of the blinker filled the silence.
“Are your bags packed?” Itachi asked. His voice shifted, dropping the investigative edge for something purely older brother.
“Yes.”
“Did you pack the mosquito repellent mom bought? The mountains will be miserable without it.”
“It’s in the front pocket,” Sasuke said flatly.
“What about motion sickness tablets?”
“I don’t get motion sickness.”
“You did when you were eight.”
Sasuke glared at him. “Nii-san, I’m not eight anymore!”
Itachi’s mouth curved slightly. The faint, amused smile only irritated Sasuke further.
He shifted in his seat. Inside his bag, his phone buzzed. A short, sharp vibration against the dark canvas.
Itachi glanced down. “Someone messaging you?”
“No.”
“It buzzed.”
“It’s spam.”
“Spam knows your school schedule?” Itachi asked mildly. “I know you don’t have mom and dad’s numbers saved, Sasuke.”
Sasuke said nothing. He kept his jaw locked and his eyes strictly focused on the dashboard.
Itachi tapped the leather of the steering wheel. “And what about your portable charger? The battery drains fast when the phone constantly searches for a signal.”
“There’s no signal.” Sasuke watched the brake lights of the car ahead of them bleed red onto the asphalt. “Our adviser said the cell towers don’t reach the deep trails. Our phones are going to be completely dead.”
Itachi’s hands stopped tapping. The light turned green.
“Completely dead,” Itachi repeated softly.
“Yes.”
“Then you stick to your group.” Itachi glanced at him, his dark eyes briefly locking with Sasuke’s in the rearview mirror. His gaze was serious. Firm. “No wandering off alone. If something happens out there, you can’t call for help. You have to rely entirely on the people you’re with.”
Sasuke unzipped his bag. He pulled out his phone, keeping his hands low and deliberately angling the screen away from Itachi’s line of sight.
“I know,” Sasuke said quietly.
He woke the screen.
Naruto: don’t forget snacks (ﾉ≧ڡ≦)
Naruto: spicy chips
Naruto: and cola gummies
Naruto: you asked so you can’t pretend you forgot to bring em ( ｰ̀ ༥ ｰ́ )
His throat tightened.
Sasuke felt the smirk before he could bury it. Naruto was already reaching out. Already expecting things from him. He had run out of the school just to make sure this connection was tethered before tomorrow.
Itachi said nothing. He just kept his eyes on the road.
Sasuke locked the phone and shoved it back into his bag.
“Still spam?” Itachi asked.
“Shut up.”
Sasuke looked back out the passenger window, his pulse thudding steadily against his wrists. The tinted glass reflected his face. For a second, he didn’t recognize the expression on it.
He would rely on Naruto. And Naruto would have to rely on him.
They wouldn’t have a choice.
-ˋˏ𓁹 ─────────── 𓁹ˎˊ˗
Chapter End.
The characters and world of Naruto belong to Kishimoto Masashi. This is a fan-created work of fiction and is not intended for commercial use.